The present invention relates to a camera employing data imprinting device with which a data is put on the film plane in addition to the optical image obtained through a photographic lens.
A data conventional imprinting device is known which imprints data such as a date, a shutter speed, an f-number or the like on a film when a picture is taken.
The data imprinting device generally comprises a data module having a data imprinting function that is fixedly interposed between a back cover and a pressure plate.
The data module is provided with an imprinting light emitting unit by which data to be imprinted is caused to emit light from an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like to expose a photosensitive material on a film to the light. A data display unit is provided indicating the data to be imprinted to the camera user. These units are disposed on the opposite sides (front and rear sides) of the data module in such a manner that the imprinting light emitting unit confronts the film plane through an opening formed in the pressure plate and the data display unit can be visually recognized through an opening formed in the back cover.
In the data imprinting device described above, however, since the data module is fixed between the back cover and the pressure plate, the position where the data is imprinted on the film plane is limited to a fixed position in a fixed direction on the film plane. More specifically, the data is imprinted at the fixed position in the fixed direction regardless of whether the picture is taken horizontally or vertically. As a result, a problem arises in that when a camera is held to take a picture in a direction different from that in which data is displayed (i.e., the data is imprinted horizontally on the film plane, which is a usual case whereas the camera is vertically held), it is difficult to read the data. Further, a problem also arises in that when the data is imprinted at a bright portion of a picture or a portion having the same color as that of the imprinted data due to the composition and background of the picture, the data is difficult to read. This is also caused by the data imprinting position being fixed.
To solve these problems, it is possible to use a method of providing a plurality of data modules or a method of providing a data module having a plurality of imprinting light emitting units. These methods, however, increase the cost of camera and further cause a problem in that the surface positioning accuracy of a pressure plate is very difficult to maintain because the opening area thereof is increased.